LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



Chap^_...., Copyright No., 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



THE LEAGUE AT WORK SERIES 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS 

FOR EPWORTH LEAGUES 
AND THE HOME CIRCLE 



BY 

MRS. ANNIE E. SMILEY 



SECOND SERIES 

15 1896' , r 

NEW YORK: HUNT & EATON 
CINCINNATI: CRANSTON & CURTS 



Copyright by 
HUNT & EATON, 
1896. 



Composition, electrotyping, 
printing, and binding by 
Hunt & Eaton, 
150 Fifth Ave., New York. 



TO THE FRIENDS 

OF THE 

EPWORTH LEAGUE 

WHO HAVE FOUND MY " FiFTY vSoCIAL EVENINGS ' 

A HELP IN 

THE WORK OF THE FOURTH DEPARTMENT, 

THIS LITTLE BOOK', 

CONTAINING FIFTY ENTIRELY NEW SOCIAL PROGRAMS 
IS DEDICATED. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Initial Social 7 

Circulating Library Social . 9 

Shadow Profiles 11 

Recognition Social .12 

Word-Portrait Social 13 

Thirty Gates 15 

The Bible and Shakespeare 16 

An English Garden Party 18 

National Songs in Costume 20 

Salmagundi SoGual 21 

L. U. B. A. Social 23 

An Old Reading-Book Social 24 

Fad and Curio Social . 25 

Sliced Proverbs 27 

Ship Social 28 

Dream Social . 29 

A Caterer's Puzzle 30 

Hundred-Dollar Social 31 

A Shopping List 33 

Thinking-Cap Social 34 

A Bell Social 37 

Tea and Toast 38 

Word Building 40 

A Handshaking Social .41 

A Wesley Tea 42 

Preference Social 43 



CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Hidden Authors 44 

The Game of Evasion 46 

A Musical Social 47 

Festival of Lanterns 49 

Colonial Dames' Reception 51 

A Humorist Social .52 

Delsarte Social . 54 

A Game Social 55 

Homeade Candy 56 

An Evening with Eugene Field 58 

An "Epworth Herald " Social 59 

Missionary Social 60 

Conference Social 61 

Church History Social 62 

A Bible Alphabet Social 63 

Bible Story and Song 64 

Jumbled Cities 66 

Kindergarten Social 67 

Shaking Quakers , . 68 

Little Light-Bearers' Reception 69 

" Preston Papers' " Quotations 69 

Menagerie Social 71 

A Mother Goose Social 72 

Old Shoe Social 73 

Patriotic Service 74 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



INITIAL SOCIAL. 



iREPARE as many cards as there are people 



who wish to take part in this contest. Punch 



two holes in one end of each card, and through 
them tie a little bow of narrow ribbon. 

Then write on each card an imaginary name of a 
book and an imaginary author. The names thus 
written are to suggest a real book and author, and 
should begin with the same initials and contain the 
same number of syllables as the real names. For 
instance, Polly Polltax, by Jaw Breaker, proved to 
be our familiar Pilgrim's Progress, by John Bun- 
yan. 

It is a good plan for the fourth vice president of the 
Epworth League to call her committee together and 
after explaining the plan to them, assign to each the 
task of finding and handing in five or more of these 
changed names, to be used on the cards. This will 
give a greater variety than if one person prepares 
them all, besides fulfilling the desirable purpose of 
getting the whole committee to work, and thereby 
insuring their interest. 

On the evening of the social each person on enter- 
ing the room is decorated with one of the cards, 




8 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



which is pinned by means of the little ribbon bow to 
the right sleeve. All these cards are numbered, 
and each person is also provided with a card, con- 
taining the same numbers in regular order, and with 
a pencil. 

At a given signal all the decorated members start 
at once in their search for books. 

Each is requested not to help or tell the others, 
unless, as was done at our Initial Social, each per- 
son is allowed to choose one helper, thus making it 
possible for a larger number to take part. 

The sleeves of each are eagerly scrutinized and, 
when a familiar book is recognized, the name is 
written down opposite the proper number on the 
card held in the hand, and the search is renewed. 

This is eminently a social game and is full of life 
and movement. It has also the advantage of lasting ; 
for when, after twenty minutes, an attempt was 
made to call in the lists, an emphatic appeal went 
up for an extension of time. I give the changed 
names of a few books and authors, as a guide and 
suggestion to those who would make lists of their 
own : 

Hysteria, by Chris Kringle. 

(Hypatia, by Charles Kingsley.) 

Rotunda, by Helping Hand Jennie. 

(Ramona, by Helen Hunt Jackson.) 

Under Two Carpets, by Heavenly Beaming Star 

(Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe.) 

Big Hunt, by Lone Watcher. 

(Ben Hur, by Lew Wallace.) 

Laughing Water, by Lorena M. Attic. 

(Little Women, by Louisa M. Alcott.) 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



9 



Ten Scattered Lanterns, by Notorious Hangman. 

(The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne.) 

Choose only books that are well known, as it is 
harder to guess them than it appears, and decorate 
the one bringing in the largest list with a small tis- 
sue paper owl for a boutonniere. 

CIRCULATING LIBRARY SOCIAL. 

This is a ''book social," but is entirely different 
from all the others, and if carried out with spirit it is 
sure to becoine popular. 

Twenty or more persons are invited, a week or 
more in advance, to choose some favorite book 
which they are willing to impersonate at the coming 
social. 

These persons hand in the names of the books 
they are to impersonate, and in order to have the 
contents of the books fresh in the mind it is well to 
read them through carefully before the social. 

These living "books" are made ready for the 
library shelves by having a card containing the title, 
number, and author's name written upon it, which 
card is hung around the neck and rests on the back. 

These books are marched in and stood in an or- 
derly row on the platform with their backs to the 
audience. The librarian, who is seated at a small 
table containing written catalogue slips, rises and 
explains that library hours are from eight o'clock 
until nine, and that books may be taken out every 
five minutes during that time by the payment of two 
cents for each book. 

The library patrons now come forward and begin 
to select their books. As soon as a person chooses 



10 FIFTY SOCIAL EVENT: 



a book an attendant goes to the row of living books 
and escorts the book wanted to the would-be reader. 
Both seek a quiet corner, and for five minutes the 
one representing the book tells the story contained 
in that book as entertainingly as possible. If at the . 
end of the five minutes, when the books are called 
in, the story is not completed the reader can keep 
out the book for another five minutes by paying a 
fine of two cents. 

No reader should be allowed to keep a book more 
than ten minutes, as others are eagerly waiting to 
take out the book. 

As the books are returned to the library a new^one 
is taken out, and the difficulty will be to secure 
enough books to supply the demand. 

Two or three may take the same book at the same 
time, if there are more readers than books, as^it is 
sometimes easier to tell a story to a number than to 
one. The books may be embellished with fancy 
binding, as blue and gold, kid, sheep, half calf, mo- 
rocco, etc., if desired, and some dainty miss who 
wishes to wear her graduation gown may appear as 
an edition de luxe, in white and silver. 

If each person representing a book can secure 
some pictures with which to illustrate it, it will add 
to the interest. In representing the life of Napoleon, 
Washington, Lincoln, or Grant, it will be easy to find 
numbers of suitable illustrations, and in books of 
fiction or travel pictures may be found which will 
adapt themselves to the story. If possible, a picture 
of the author of the book should be secured to 
adorn the title-page. 

This social makes our young people read in pre- 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



11 



paring for it, and in carrying it out it gives one 
practice in telling a story, or in that greater and 
rarer accomplishment of being a good listener. 

SHADOW PROFILES. 

This social is well adapted for a home where 
there are double parlors with folding doors between. 
In the wide doorway fasten a large sheet completely 
filling the space. 

The light in one room is turned down, and should 
be brightly burning in the other room. The profile 
artist poses his subjects between the li^ht and the 
curtain, thus throwing a sharp outline on the curtain, 
and making it easy for the ones on the other side to 
guess the person. 

In order to make it more difficult to recognize the 
profiles.- the subjects may be disguised a little by 
adding hats, bonnets, or drapery to conceal the 
hair and dress. After all in one room have been 
shown the lights are reversed, and the occupants 
of the other room sit for their pictures. After 
the individual profiles have been shown and guessed 
with more or less success, shadow pantomimes may 
be shown in the curtain. A dentist pulling a tooth ; 
a young lady sitting at a small table and about to 
dine — she raises the cover of a large soup tureen, 
and out jumps a live kitten ; a teacher applying 
the birch to a squirming youngster, or a grand- 
mother making vigorous use of soap on the 
head and ears of her small grandson are good 
subjects to illustrate. Well-known characters in 
nursery rhymes, like Little Boy Blue, Little Bo 
Peep, Red Riding Hood. Old King Cole, and others 



12 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



may be shown on the curtain and guessed by the 
audience, and if there are any Juniors present, you 
may be sure you will need no other music than 
their happy laughter. 

RECOGNITION SOCIAL. 

This is variously called photograph, recognition, 
and retrospective social, but the idea is the same, to 
offer a picture of oneself at an earlier stage of exist- 
ence, and challenge one's friends to recognize it. 

It is really asking too much to bring pictures 
taken in babyhood. Fond mothers to the contrary 
notwithstanding, babies do look very much aUke, 
and no one but a mother can be expected to re- 
member just how her baby looked. 

Boys in knickerbockers, girls with braids of hair 
down their backs, and graduation pictures are usu- 
ally sufficiently mystifying, while the older people 
may offer the pictures taken while they were 
courting, which pictures have the same self-satisfied, 
smirking air, in whatever period and style they are 
taken. 

These pictures should all be collected, numbered, 
and arranged beforehand, that they may be conven- 
iently examined and the originals guessed. 

A good way to arrange them is on large sheets of 
cardboard, each containing ten or more pictures. 
Slits may be cut in the cardboard and the corners of 
the photographs fitted in. 

These large cards of pictures should be hung up 
in various parts of the room, that small groups may 
surround each and a crowd be avoided. Each per- 
son should be provided with a list of numbers and a 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



13 



pencil, that the names guessed may be written down. 
The daguerreotypes may be placed on the tables, 
and the crayon and oil portraits hung about the 
room. 

A very pleasing variation of this social, which is 
enough in itself for an evening's entertainment, is to 
have pictures of famous and well-known men and 
women used for recognition, instead of personal 
pictures. 

In this hero-worshiping age, when every paper 
and magazine is filled with pictures of people whom 
the world delighted to honor, it will not be difficult 
to secure a large number of pictures. 

In grouping these care should be taken to prevent 
an incongruous arrangement. Pictures of royalty 
may be placed together, famous composers and 
artists, military leaders, beauties of the French 
court, and philanthropic and religious leaders. 
Such a social is distinctly instructive as well as 
entertaining. 

WORD-PORTRAIT SOCIAL. 

This social is specially adapted to use in a small 
circle where all are friends, and where no one 
will take offense at anything said. 

Each person should be previously invited to bring 
in a written word-portrait of some member of the 
League or community. 

These word-portraits should be of nearly uniform 
length, and should be written with care, that nothing 
in them could wound even the most sensitive 
person. 

The papers are read aloud by the one in charge, 
2 



14 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



and as each portrait is given all write on the cards 
the name of the person described. 

The portraits should not be too lifelike, a little 
softening and retouching is allowable, for everyone 
wishes to look as well as possible. 

I will give a simple illustration of what I mean by 
word-portraits. 

The picture I wish to show you represents a wom- 
an who has not yet reached middle life. 

She has dark hair and eyes and a very pleasant 
smile. 

She occupies a position of great social responsi- 
bility and dignity, and is a gracious hostess as well 
as a charming woman. 

She has three beautiful little daughters, and the 
duties and honor of her exalted social position do not 
cause her to forget or neglect her duties as a mother. 

It would need no further elaborating for the com- 
pany to guess that the gracious and womanly mistress 
of the White House, Mrs. Cleveland, was described 
in the word-portrait. 

If the company prefer, the portraits given may be of 
people of public fame, rather than of personal friends. 

But it is really quite as interesting for the eager 
company to guess that the honored townsman who 
is known outside his native village, is the local poli- 
tician who has been sent to the Legislature or drawn 
on the grand jury ; and that the woman who in her 
school days spelled down the whole spelling school 
is the doctor's wife, as it is to know the shining 
abilities and achievements of the people whose 
names make history. I once wrote to an old board- 
ing school chum of a woman whose portrait I wished 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



15 



to paint in words, and learned from her old school 
secrets which in their day were not lawful to utter, 
but which now only made the astonished original of 
the portrait stare and smile that anyone else knew 
about them. 

THIRTY GATES. 

The poet asks, Had Thebes a hundred gates, as 
sung by Homer ? " This may be an unanswered 
conundrum, but this game of thirty gates can easily 
be played when bright young people put on their 
thinking caps. 

It was published in The Yotci/is Companion and is 
too good to lose. 

What gate proclaims and publishes? (promulgate). 

What gate unyokes and sets free ? . (abjugate). 

A gate of an inquiring turn . . . (interrogate). 

A gate which punishes severely . . (castigate). 

A gate full of wrinkles .... (corrugate). 

A gate which connects and classifies (conjugate). 

A gate which acts as an embassador . (legate). 

A gate which travels by water . . (navigate). 

A gate which makes claims .... (arrogate). 

A gate which repeals laws , . . . (abrogate). 

A gate which increases in length . . (elongate). 

A gate which goes to law . . . . (litigate). 

A gate which soothes and alleviates . (mitigate). 

A gate which conquers and subdues (subjugate). 

A gate which places itself under bonds (obligate). 

A gate acting as a representative . (delegate). 

A gate which separates (segregate). 

A gate which cleanses and purifies . (fumigate). 

A gate which sends people into exile (relegate). 

A gate which waters . . . . . . . (irrigate). 



16 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



A gate of many colors (variegate). 

A gate which assembles .... (congregate). 
A gate which seeks knowledge . . (investigate). 
A gate which produces its kind . (propagate). 
A gate which includes the whole . (aggregate). 
A gate which ties together .... (alligate). 

A gate which deserts (runagate). 

'A gate which denies and rejects . . (negate). 
A gate which sails the sea .... (frigate). 
A gate of self-denial (abnegate). 



All the words ending in gate should be written on 
numbered cards and collected, and the one having 
the best list may receive a tissue paper thinking cap. 

THE BIBLE AND SHAKESPEARE. 

This is an exercise that appeals to both the third 
and fourth departments of the Epworth League, from 
its literary and social character. 

The one taking charge of this game should give 
out as many numbered blank cards as there are per- 
sons to take part. 

These following quotations are then slowly and 
distinctly read, and, as each one is read, all present 
are requested to decide whether the quotation is 
from the Bible or from Shakespeare, and write either 
B. or S. after each number. The one whose list is 
nearest correct is declared the winner. Rev. Wm. 
M. Cassidy, of the New England Conference of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, selected these extracts. 

QUOTATIONS. 

1. " That which hath been is now, and that which 
is to be hath already been." (B.) 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



17 



2. " He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with 
his feet." (B.) 

3. "Look! What I will not that I cannot do." 
(S.) 

4. " Like madness is the glory of this life." (S.) 

5. " 'Tis cruelty to load a falling man." (S.) 

6. For the goodman is not at home, he is gone 
a long journey." (B.) 

7. *'The apprehension of the good gives but the 
greater feeling to the worse." (S.) 

8. Stolen waters are sweet." (B.) 

9. "A merry heart maketh a cheerful counte- 
nance." (B.) 

10. " Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty." 
(B.) 

11. " Life's but a walking shadow. ' ' (S.) 

12. "A man that hath friends must show himself 
friendly." (B.) 

13. " Hope deferred maketh the heart sick." (B.) 

14. "The glory of young men is their strength." 
(B.) 

15. " Happy thou art not, for what thou hast not 
still thou strivest to get." (S.) 

16. "Wisdom and goodness to the vile seem 
vile." (S.) 

17. "Things done well, arid with care, exempt 
themselves from fear." (S.) 

18. "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in 
pictures of silver." (B.) 

19. "Against ill chances men are ever merry, 
but heaviness foreruns the good event." (S.) 

20. " All things are ready if our minds are so." 
(S.) 



18 FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



21. Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it 
stoop." (B.) 

22. "A friend loveth at all times." (B.) 

23. "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? 
He shall stand before kings ; he shall not stand be- 
fore mean men." (B.) 

24. ''He that loves to be flattered is worthy of 
the flatterer." (S.) 

25. " Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful." 
(B.) 

26. " The world is but a word." (S.) 

27. " How weak a thing the heart of woman is." 
(S.) 

28. " Two are better than one, because they have 
a good reward for their labor." (B.) 

29. "The light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it 
is for the eyes to behold the sun." (B.) 

30. " My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me." 
(B.) 

These quotations from the Bible and Shakespeare 
were used at a gathering of ministers' wives. The 
wife of a presiding elder returned an entirely correct 
list, and on being congratulated on her success, she 
modestly said," I don't know Shakespeare very well, 
but I do know the Bible." 

AN ENGLISH GARDEN PARTY. 

This is sometimes called a picnic social, for the 
distinguishing feature is a lunch to be eaten under 
the trees, but in an English garden party there are 
a number of features which commend themselves 
in a special manner, and the first is that the lunch 
is eaten decorously at small tables, instead of at- 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



19 



tempting to eat it while sitting on the *' green carpet " 
of earth. 

This is a winter social and the green trees may be 
the discarded Christmas trees, or branches thereof, 
set about the room in large pots or buckets ; while 
ferns or palms, with large geraniums and other foli- 
age plants may be placed on the tables and plat- 
forms. 

The tables should each be put in charge of a 
young lady, who supplies dishes, silver, lamps, etc., 
to make it beautiful and attractive. These young 
ladies should each wear a large picture hat, and 
dress to harmonize. These hats need not be ex- 
pensive, for the cheapest Fayal or straw hat can be 
trimmed with delicate colored cheese cloth, or even 
tissue paper, and made to look beautiful by evening 
light. One dainty bonnet, composed wholly of tissue 
paper violets, and a large hat trimmed with a wreath 
of paper poppies, I remember having seen and ad- 
mired at such a garden party. 

Each young lady having charge of a table should 
pour tea or chocolate, and serve those at her table. 

The refreshments may be sandwiches, buns, and 
English tea cakes, or other delicate home-made 
cakes. 

A picture of Queen Victoria, or of other members 
of the English royal family, may occupy a place of 
honor. 

After the supper a short entertainment, consisting 
of songs and instrumental music, may be given. 
English songs, closing with " God Save the Queen," 
will be in keeping. Or blank cards may be passed 
around and each person present invited to draw a 



20 FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



family tree upon it, the trunk to represent the Queen 
of England, and the branches to represent the chil- 
dren, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. The 
best and most perfect family tree should receive 
honorable mention, and this little exercise will stimu- 
late those who do not know or care much about the 
royal family of our mother country to inform them- 
selves, and to realize that a senseless prejudice 
against everything English is as bad as the equally 
senseless Anglomania. 

NATIONAL SONGS IN COSTUME. 

This is a novel and delightful entertainment, and 
will be specially appreciated by the " stranger within 
our gates," who will be proud and pleased to be in- 
vited to help arrange and carry out the various 
numbers. 

My idea is to have several of these national songs 
sung in the various languages in which they were 
originally written, and, where it is possible, by natives 
of the various countries. 

The first number may be " Rule, Britannia," sung 
by a jolly jack tar, or a Tommy Atkins in military 
costume, and carrying the English Jack." 

A Highland lassie, in Scotch tartan and Tam 
o' Shanter, next sings ''Annie Laurie" or the Maid 
of Dundee." 

An Irish lad follows with ''Kathleen Mavourneen " 
or "The Wearing of the Green." "The Marseillaise" 
may be sung in French by a quartette of young girls 
in peasant dress, and wearing red caps. Following 
this comes " Die Wacht am Rhein," sung by a 
sturdy German burschen or madchen. 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



21 



''O, Italia, Italia, Beloved," a beautiful duet with 
English words, may be sung by two young ladies 
dressed as street musicians, with gay Italians hand- 
kerchiefs on their heads. But, if ^''ou can hire or 
beg a hand-organ man to give one or two selections, 
it will represent Italy as nothing else can. 

Spain may be represented by a senorita with lace 
mantilla, who plays a Spanish air on a guitar or 
mandolin ; or a male quartet may sing "The Span- 
ish Cavalier" or "We are the Jolly, Gay Stu- 
dents." 

From Greece comes a Byronic looking and cos- 
tumed young man who sings " Maid of Athens." 

There are Swede girls in nearly every community 
who would be willing to sing the Swedish national 
hymn. 

The Armenian national song is so strongly ac- 
cented, and so explosive in its character, that, even 
if sung in an unknown tongue, it stirs the blood 
like the challenge to battle that it is, and Armenians 
who are pleased to be invited to sing are found in 
most of our Eastern cities and towns. 

The Chinaman also knows how to sing, and 
though, as he stands with his back to the audience 
and breathes his woe into the folds of a fan, he may 
awaken considerable mirth, he will never see it or 
know it, and so cannot feel embarrassed over it. 

"America," sung by a chorus of young people 
with small flags, completes the program. 

SALMAGUNDI SOCIAL. 

In cookery a salmagundi is a dish containing a 
number of different ingredients, and a social having 



23 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



the same features of variety was described in the 
Delineator a year or more ago. This social, with 
some changes and substitutions, I will describe. 

Although it has an appetizing name there is noth- 
ing to eat, unless one cares to eat raw potatoes, for 
at one of the small tables the eager boys and girls 
are trying to land each of the half dozen cleanly 
washed raw potatoes, in a bowl in the center of the 
table, by the means of an after-dinner coffee spoon. 
If you think it is an easy feat just try it some day 
for yourself ; but it can be done with patience and 
careful balancing. 

At another table may be found numbered lists of 
characters in literature and fiction, with blank cards 
and pencils. Each person who is interested in this 
subject takes one of the blank cards and, writing his 
own name at the top, begins guessing and marking 
down the books containing the various characters. 
I will give a few to illustrate what I mean : 

Rowena. Ivanhoe. 

AUesandro. Ramona. 

Mignon. Wilhelm Meister. 

Nydia. Hypatia. 

Sam Weller. Pickwick Papers. 

Amy Robsart. Kenilworth. 

Marie St. Clair. Uncle Tom's Cabin. 

Dr. MacLure. Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush. 

Hester Prynne. Scarlet Letter. 

Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. Little Women. 

Over in one corner of the room a number who 
like active exercise are throwing bean bags into a 
box with hole in the cover ; and in another part of 
the room some girls are playing ring toss. 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



23 



At one table several young men are busy trim- 
ming spring bonnets, while on the platform a num- 
ber of young ladies are learning to drive a nail 
straight. Meanwhile a bean hunt is in progress. 

Sugared almonds have beenhidden in scores of un- 
expected places, and the juniors, who claim a share 
in this social, are hunting for them. This feature 
should not be divulged until the very last thing, as 
it is apt to prove a very engrossing game to others 
besides the juniors. There is certainly variety enough 
in this social to suit all tastes. 

L. U. B. A. SOCIAL. 

Some bright leader in social work once said, 
" Let us become acquainted," and the initial letters 
of that very sensible remark form the basis of a 
very sociable social. 

Distribute to each one entering the room a hecto- 
graphed list of the entire membership of the League, 
including associate members, where the distinction 
in membership is made. 

Each person is provided with a pencil and invited 
to check off all the names of persons with whom he 
is acquainted. He then applies to an usher, a 
number of whom are in attendance, and is in- 
troduced to all those with whom he is not acquainted ; 
or if the ushers are busy it is perfectly proper at a 
L. U. B. A. social to introduce oneself. 

No one should be allowed to speak to any ac- 
quaintance until after having spoken to all the 
strangers under a penalty of a fine ; and some who ex- 
pected to be severely left to themselves because they 
are not acquainted will be pleasantly surprised to 



24 FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 

find the eager crowd about them all anxious to 
make their acquaintance. Each name on the list 
should be crossed off as fast as spoken to, and the 
one showing at the end of the evening a list with 
the names of everyone present crossed off will 
receive a ribbon or flower decoration. This becoming 
acquainted should not be hurriedly accomplished. 
Time should be taken for kindly, cordial words with 
each one ; and one evening of this kind will do more 
to make a strange young man or woman feel 
at home than dozens of " cordial welcome cards " 
could do. 

AN OLD READING-BOOK SOCIAL, 

A friend was lately telling me of a delightful 
social in which she had recently taken part, where 
all the recitations, dialogues, and poems were taken 
from old reading-books, and the songs were catches 
and rounds. 

My friend took the part of Phebe in the old piece, 
beginning, " Phebe, why have you come so soon? 
Where are your berries, child ? " 

Phebe wore a sunbonnet and torn apron, and 
carried in her hand her empty berry basket and the 
bonnet which the good little girl had given her to 
console her for the loss of her berries. The mother 
was also dressed in prim old fashion, with cap and 
spectacles. 

"Thomas was an idle lad " is another old favor- 
ite, and Sir Peter and Lady Teazle's sprightly 
dialogue will give the needful spice. 

" The boy stood on the burning deck " may be 
repeated as a medley, and if the rhythm is preserved 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 25 



by the readers, all of whom are repeating different 
verses at the same time, the effect is pleasing as 
well as amusing. 

"The Burial of Moses," "The Launching of the 
Ship," Gray's " Elegy in a Country Churchyard," 
and "The Deserted Village," were all prime 
favorites in those old reading-books, and are well 
worth repeating and committing to memory by the 
young people of the present day. Many elderly 
people have preserved these old reading-books 
which they are willing to lend, and no social could 
be prepared which would be more pleasing to the 
older people of the church than one made up of 
selections with which they were familiar in their 
school days, and which many of them are still able 
to recall. A pleasing feature of such a social is 
a "spelling down" contest, where volunteers 
are invited to stand in line and to repeat one of those 
old-time favorites. The first party repeats the 
selection until the memory fails, when he is seated, 
and the next takes it up. Cowper's "John Gilpin's 
Ride," or Browning's "Pied Piper of Hamelin," 
would be good selections to use in such a contest. 

For rounds "Scotland's Burning" and "Three 
Blind Mice " are old favorites, and if some one can 
be found to sing " The frog he would a wooing go " 
our elderly guests will feel that they are back in the 
days of their childhood again. 

FAD AND CURIO SOCIAL, 

Everyone ought to be interested in this social, 
for it is hard to find a young person nowadays 
who is not interested in some fad. 



26 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



To make this social a success will require some 
work and thought, but it will well repay both, as 
it will enlist and draw out some who do not usually 
take part in social work. 

A number of small tables should be provided, 
each presided over by some one interested in that 
special hobby and prepared to explain it to others. 

On one of the tables may be shown specimens of 
the very old-fashioned fads, samplers, hand em- 
broideries, and an old-time lace pillow, with some 
one to show how the lace was made, if such a one 
can be found. 

On another table mottoes worked on perforated 
paper, Kensington and luster painting, and gilding 
may be shown. 

Old china and glass, which can be borrowed of 
elderly people who have carefully preserved such 
specimens, will always prove interesting. 

Following these come the more recent fads, 
painted china, oil and water color paintings, stamp 
plates, picture card albums, crazy quilts, knitted and 
crocheted laces, embroidered doilies and other 
table napery. old coins, posters, and postage stamp 
albums and coin and medal collections. 

There are many more which may be of special 
interest in different localities, as amateur printing, 
photography, chemistry, and electricity. 

Short papers on some of the more prominent 
subjects illustrated will be in order : for instance, lace- 
making, famous embroideries and tapestries, dif- 
ferent kinds of china, the recent poster craze, and 
the very great value of postage stamps. 

People smile incredulously when they read in the 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



27 



papers that at a recent stamp auction several 
stamps were sold for five hundred dollars each. 

They say, " The fool and his money soon parted," 
and do not realize that hard-headed business men 
are putting thousands of dollars into postage stamps, 
believing them to be the safest and surest invest- 
ment. 

If some young man interested in such things 
shall tell how to build a canvas boat, or how to 
make an electric battery, you will be surprised, 
perhaps, to hear that shy bashful fellow grow 
eloquent and enthusiastic over what greatly in- 
terests him. 

A social such as I have tried to describe can be 
made very elastic and adapted to special needs and 
circumstances. 

Japanese and other curios may be shown on 
some of the tables if desired, and light refreshments 
may be served. 

An entertainment requiring so much work in 
preparation may well be made to yield some money 
return, as the articles exhibited would in them- 
selves be well worth seeing. A hand-painted 
admission ticket makes a pretty souvenir. 

SLICED PROVERBS. 

Write familiar proverbs on large sheets of card- 
board, and then cut each square of cardboard into 
ten or twelve irregular shaped pieces. 

These dissected proverbs should then each be 
placed on a separate small table, and the tables 
should each be surrounded by an equal number of 
persons. 



28 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



At a given signal the persons at each table begin 
fitting the pieces together, in order to make out the 
proverb. 

The ones completing and reading theirs first are 
declared the victors, but all are fitted together and 
read before the contest is over. 

Scripture proverbs may be used and familiar ones 
should be chosen, as it helps in fitting the pieces of 
cardboard together, which is not as easy a task as 
might be imagined. 

One League used this idea for a Washington's 
Birthday reception, and all the sliced quotations were 
famous sayings of the " Father of his Country," or 
about him. 

These cards were also embellished with pen-and- 
ink drawings, which added greatly to their value. 
One quotation was, "I did it with my little hatchet," 
and a hatchet, whose 'handle extended along the 
whole length of the card, illustrated it. 

Enough sliced proverbs and quotations to supply 
all the tables two or three times may be provided, 
and if there are chairs, so the contestants may sit 
around the tables, they will not become weary. 

SHIP SOCIAL. 

Enlist the services of some one familiar with life 
aboard ship in getting up this social, and enter into 
the spirit of it as children do when they "play 
house," or ** play school," and a good time is cer- 
tain. 

Have a large, open space in the middle of the 
room fitted up to represent a deck, with a large 
awning over it, if possible. Camp stools furnish 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



29 



seats, ropes inclose this deck, and a stepladder may 
be used for naounting it. Settees placed inside the 
rope may represent the seats around the deck, and 
big coils of rope, life preservers, buckets, etc., should 
be carelessly placed in various positions. 

A big Fourth of July trumpet may serve as a fog 
horn, and bells should mark off the divisions of 
time. 

The crew should be dressed in sailor costume, and 
a sailor drill on deck, accompanied by march music 
on the piano, will be a very pretty feature of the 
entertainment. 

Songs of life at sea as "Anchored," "Home- 
ward Bound," " Pull for the Shore," and " Home 
at Last," may be sung. 

If you can invite some old sailor to give some 
yarns that are new, and as true as sailors' yarns 
ever can be, they will be greatly enjoyed. 

Sailors' mess of ship biscuits, beef, and coffee 
may be served on swinging tables, which are re- 
moved when the meal is over. 

Hammocks swung on deck, and a steamer chair 
or two, will give an air of cosiness and comfort. 

DREAM SOCIAL. 

"Such stuff as dreams are made of," says the 
poet, and, laugh them away as we may, there is not 
one of us who has not, at some time or other, been 
powerfully influenced by a dream. 

Perhaps, in the marvelous march of invention 
and application of principles, some means will be 
found by which we can classify and interpret these 
wandering dream fancies. 
3 



30 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



But since it is true that young people find a fas- 
cination in hearing and telling dreams, and even in 
the Bible dreams are treated with consideration and 
respect, why may we not have a dream social, that 
shall be a dream of beauty and a joy to remember 
afterward ? 

It is best to have this social in a private home, 
where there is a fireplace and all the witchery of 
draperies and pictures to add to the dreamy atmos- 
phere. 

The flowers used in decoration should be poppies 
and festoons of hops, if these are in season, or tissue 
paper poppies in winter. 

Songs, It was a Dream," " Dreaming," " Dream 
Faces," and others may be sung, and some story, 
like Rudyard Kipling's "The Brushboy," maybe 
read. 

After the more formal part of the program is 
over, the company gather in a group around the fire- 
place, and by its dim but cheery light dreams are told 
and laughed or sighed over, as they are gay or sad. 

Such an evening makes people feel wonderfully 
well acquainted with each other. 

A CATERER'S PUZZLE. 

This exercise is like "Thirty Gates," given in an- 
other part of this book, and requires a still longer 
thinking cap to think out. Every one of the required 
words ends in the syllable "cate," and numbered 
blank cards should be given out on which to write 
the list of words, as they are guessed. A little time 
should be allowed in which to think of each word, 
and no one should be permitted to tell another. 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 31 

1. To tame wild animals . . . (domesticate). 

2. To evade the truth .... (equivocate). 

3. To impart to another . . (communicate). 

4. To weave a fabric (fabricate). 

5. A difficult pattern (intricate). 

6. To return a favor .... (reciprocate). 

7. To make drunken (intoxicate). 

8. To plead for or support . . . (advocate). 

9. To train the mind (educate). 

10. To chew, to divide .... (masticate). 

1 1 . A combined body (syndicate). 

12. To treat with medicines . . . (medicate). 

13. To move out (vacate). 

14. To stifle or smother (suffocate). 

15. To root out and banish . . . (eradicate). 

16. To avoid a direct answer . . . (prevaricate). 

17. To dry up or make dry , . . (desiccate). 

18. Dainty and pleasing (delicate). 

19. To seize for public use . . . (confiscate). 

20. To put out of joint (dislocate). 

2 1 . To cause to burn .... (combusticate). 

22. To cause to sparkle . . . . (coruscate). 

23. To set one right (vindicate). 

24. To give up an office (abdicate). 

25. To apply oil (lubricate). 



Many more words may be found with this termi- 
nation, and other lists of words ending in "sion," 
" ary," etc., may be easily found. 

HUNDRED-DOLLAR SOCIAL. 

The dollar social or experience circle, where 
every member earns or saves a dollar and then tells 



82 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



how it was done, has proved very popular, and has 
by no means outlived its usefulness. 

This is not to earn one hundred dollars, as might 
be supposed, but rather to spend it, on paper, and 
thus find out what our young people would do with 
such a sum, if they had it. 

Imitation bank checks may be given out, each 
made out to the individual who is to receive it, and 
each supposably good for one hundred dollars. 

All who wish to take part are provided with pen- 
cils, and are invited to write on the back of the 
check an itemized list of the things each would like 
to purchase with the one hundred dollars. 

Ten minutes or more may be allowed in which to 
write the lists ; the checks are then gathered up, 
and some one is appointed to read each in turn, 
without giving the name of the person who wrote it. 
All are provided with paper, and, as each one is read 
in regular order, the persons who listen guess who 
wrote it, and write the name of the person opposite 
the appropriate number. It is not as difficuU to 
guess as might be imagined ; for, in a company of 
young people who know each other well, it would 
be evident at once that the check spent for a road 
wagon, lap robe, fancy whip, and harness, must 
belong to Harold Wells, whose father has lately 
given him. a three-year-old colt. 

That fuss-and-feathers one, with its chiffon fichus, 
six-button gloves, and feather boa, must belong to 
pretty little May Rivers, who does love dress a little 
too well ; and that generous one, that remembers 
the W. F. M. S., the W. H. M. S.., the Y. W. C. T. 
U., and all the other benevobnces, could have been 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



33 



made out by no one else than our saintly first vice 
president, who doesn't think of herself as much as 
she ought. 

So it will be amusing and enjoyable to spend the 
money in fancy, and if some one who loves statistics 
will sum all up and see how much is given to God, 
and how much to ourselves, it may set some care- 
less one to thinking and asking himself, How 
much owest thou unto my Lord? " 

A SHOPPING LIST. 

This is a good memory game, and can be made 
very funny by having an incongruous assortment 
of articles included in the shopping list. 

The inevitable paper and pencils which our fourth 
vice presidents have come to find indispensable 
in our various guessing contests are provided, 
and all are invited to pay strict attention while 
the list of articles to be remembered is read. 

After slowly and impressively reading the list all 
are expected to begin and write down from memory 
the articles required. 

The one remembering and writing down the 
largest number of articles mentioned in the original 
list is declared the victor ; and, if any present is 
given a dainty little book with '* Shopping List" 
on the outside may be given. These may be 
obtained at any city stationer's. 

The following is as long a list as one could rea- 
sonably be expected to remember : 

A fine tooth comb. 

A feather duster. 

Two dozen Florida oranges. 



34 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



A baby's rattle. 

Two quarts of onions. 

Seven yards of navy blue flannel. 

A bottle of Mrs. Winslow's soothing syrup. 

Three pounds of tripe. 

A package of safety pins. 

A gold-headed cane. 

A cake of buttermilk soap. 

A Japanese doll. 

A pair of suspenders. 

A box of toothpicks. 

A bottle of hair-oil. 

THINKING-CAP SOCIAL. 

Motto candies, containing each a folded tissue paper 
cap, can be bought at a confectioner's store, and each 
person on entering the room is to be provided 
with one. 

The caps are pulled into shape and put on by 
all who wish to take part in the puzzles, conundrums, 
etc., which are to follow. 

A local puzzle containing the names of many of 
the persons present is always enjoyed, and can 
easily be prepared by one who has a faculty for 
rhyming. 

The one who has charge of the exercise, and 
who wears the most fantastic thinking-cap of all, 
now asks the following State abbreviations:" 

Which is the most egotistical of the 
United States ? (Me.). 

Which is the father of States ? ... (Pa.). 

Which is best in time of flood ? ... (Ark.). 

The most useful State in haying time? . (Mo.). 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 85 

A State of exclamation! (La.). 

A numeral State . (Tenn.). 

A maidenly State (Miss.). 

The most unhealthy State .... (111.). 
The State that cures disease .... (Md.). 
A State of religious observance . . . (Mass.). 

A- State for students (Conn.). 

A grain-bearing State (R. I.). 

A State where there is no such word as 

fail (Kan.). 

A State the tramp would shun . . . (Wash.). 



Following this may be an anatomical puzzle, 
which is credited to the Bishop of Oxford. The 
questions are all answered by parts of the human 



body. 

Something needful in a journey . . . (trunk). 

Two musical instruments (drums). 

Two established measures (feet). 

Articles carpenters use (nails). 

Two good fish (soles). 

A great number of small shellfish . . (muscles). 

Two lofty tropical trees (palms). 

Spring flowers (tulips). 

Game hunters love to chase .... (hares). 
A member of the deer family .... (hart). 

Weapons of warfare (arms). 

A number of weathercocks (veins). 

Two students (pupils). 

A big cedar box (chest). 

Two fine places of worship .... (temples). 

A piece of English money (crown). 

. An article used by artists (palette). 

A boat used in racing (skull). 



36 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



A number puzzle is quite perplexing. 
Ask the company to take nine from six, ten from 
nine, and fifty from forty, leaving six remaining. 

The secret is in the use of Roman numerals. 
From six take the IX, leaving the letter **s ;" from 
IX take X, leaving the letter " i," from XL take L, 
leaving the letters " six " remaining. 

We will close our puzzles with a Scripture 
conundrum : 

God made Adam out of dust, 

But thought it best to make me first; 

So I was made before the man, 

To answer his most holy plan. 

My body did he make complete, 

But without arms, or legs, or feet. 

My ways and acts he did control, 

But to my body gave no soul. 

A living being I became. 

And Adam gave to me a name ; 

Thousands of miles I ever roam. 

In the great deep which is my home. 

For purpose wise which God did see. 

He put a living soul in me ; 

But soon my God that soul did claim 

And took from me that soul again. 

And without hands, or feet, or soul, 

I travel on from pole to pole. 

No rest have I by day or night, 

But after death I give great light. 

No right or wrong can I conceive. 

The Scriptures I cannot believe ; 

Although my name therein is found, 

They are to me but empty sound. 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 37 



No fears of death do trouble me, 

Real happiness I ne'er shall see. 

To heaven I shall never go, 

Nor to the grave or hell below. 

Now, when these lines you closely read. 

Go, search your Bible, with all speed. 

For my right name's recorded there, 

I honestly to you declare. (Ans. Whale.) 

Perhaps the thinking-caps will have to be taken 
off to scratch ideas from the young heads before 
these exercises are over, but I am sure they will be 
puzzled over and found out at last. 

A BELL SOCIAL, 

Without any play on the well worn pun about the 
"belles" being sure to be there, we can make a 
very pretty social out of songs, recitations, and 
tableaux illustrating bells. 

The reception committee may wear little bells, 
cut out of silver paper, and bells made of flowers or 
evergreen may be used in decoration. 

Each number on the program should be an- 
nounced by a ring of the bell, and the exercises 
may close by ringing the hour with a big bell, un- 
less, as in the old-fashioned town where I live, there 
is a nine o'clock curfew bell. 

I am almost afraid to suggest songs, as I do not 
always know the name of the publisher, and it is 
sometimes hard to find songs, even familiar ones. 
But many may be found, both in our church and 
prayer meeting song books, and in sheet music. 
The cantata, "Curfew must not ring to-night," is 



38 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



beautiful, if well sung, and is much more novel than 
merely have the poem read. 

Schiller's Song of the Bell " is beautiful, illus- 
trated with tableaux. A good reader recites it 
slowly, to music if desired, and the various scenes 
of the poem are illustrated by groups, which a care- 
ful study of the poem will suggest. 

It is said that Schiller spent almost a lifetime in 
perfecting this poem, and, though its beauty is great- 
est in the language in which it was written, yet its 
English form well worth being better known than 
it is. 

TEA AND TOAST. 

The amusing thing about this social is that there 
isn't any tea, and there isn't any toast; the "tea " 
being words that end in "ty," and the "toast" 
being speeches on the same. 

Cards have been previously prepared, and every- 
one present is provided with one, to which is at- 
tached a pencil. 

On the cards is written various kinds of tea. 

1 . What our forefathers fought for . . (liberty). 

2. The greatest of the Christian graces (charity). 

3. Faithful allegiance (loyalty). 

4. The soul of wit (brevity). 

5. Undue mirthfulness (levity). 

6. A motive power (electricity). 

7. The best policy (honesty). 

8. The '* Four Hundred " .... (society). 

9. What tries a man's friends . . (adversity). 
10. Beauty's temptation (vanity). 

\ 11. The mother of invention . . . (necessity). 
12. What rich men glory in . . . (prosperity). 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



39 



13. What rich men leave to their 

children . , . (property). 

14. Those who are coming after us . (posterity). 

15. What Daniel Webster said was 

the greatest thought (responsibility). 

1 6. A watchword of brotherhood . (fraternity). 

1 7. The demand of the Anarchist . (equality). 

18. To take God's name in vain . . (profanity). 

19. Forever and forever .... (eternity). 

20. The Christian's hope . . . (immortality). 
Of course, the words in parentheses in this and all 

similar exercises are not to be written on the cards, 
but are merely for reference in correcting the lists 
made up and handed in by those taking part in the 
game. These will be guessed more easily than in 
some of the exercises given, but our aim should be 
not to discourage effort by too difficult games and 
exercises. A riddle that no one can guess gives 
pleasure only to the one propounding it. 

The ''toast" which follows the "tea" is pre- 
pared by arranging on a plate twenty slips of paper, 
each containing one of the words in the above ex- 
ercise, and inviting as many young people to come 
forward, one by one, and draw from the plate one 
of the slips of paper, making a two-minute speech 
on the subject drawn. 

Thousands of essays have been written on each of 
the themes suggested on the ''tea" card, and it 
will not be difficult for anyone to find enough to 
say to fill his two minutes profitably, but, if anyone 
attempts to occupy more time, he must be called to 
order and reminded that "brevity is the soul of 
wit. ' ' 



40 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



WORD BUILDING. 

This is a game that is capable of endless variation, 
and never fails to amuse a company of young 
people. 

It is a quiet game, and takes the place of what 
primary teachers call " busy work," and it is, per- 
haps, better adapted for a small home party than 
for a large gathering. 

Each person is provided with paper and pencil, 
and, at the top of the sheet of paper, is written the 
word or motto from which the letters for the word 
building are to be obtained. 

It is explained that in making words no letter must 
be used twice, unless so used in the motto given, 
and that no proper names, foreign, or obsolete words 
can be allowed. 

The contest is to see who shall first make a list of one 
hundred words from the motto given. We will sup- 
pose the motto to be " Methodist Episcopal Church." 

We first write all the words beginning with m, as 
mad, map, mar, mate, mass, mat, made, maid, 
malt, met, meat, mess, mesh, mite, mice, mile, 
milt, mop, mope, model, mood, much, mush, etc. 
Next come words beginning with e, and so on until 
you have one hundred words, and it will not be sur- 
prising if the interest is so great that the contest is 
continued until several hundred words have been 
obtained. 

" The Epworth League " is a good motto to use in 
word building, and any long word, or combination 
of words, containing all, or nearly all, the vowels. 
Each contestant may have one helper, if desired. 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



41 



A HANDSHAKINQ SOCIAL. 

This is a good kind of social with which to greet 
a visiting chapter, as it breaks the ice and helps 
everyone to feel acquainted. 

Each person on entering the room receives a slip 
of paper, with directions written upon it to govern 
him in the social handshaking which is to follow. 

The signal to. begin is given, and everybody begins 
shaking hands with his neighbor. 

The " downeaster " grasps your hand and works 
it like a pump handle ; the ** Frenchman " bows 
with his hand on his heart; the "Chinaman" 
shakes his own hand, complacently and continually ; 
and the "Turk" seeks a convenient spot where he 
can thump his head on the floor in the humility of 
his obeisance. 

The " society belle " languidly extends two fingers, 
or elevates her hand on a level with her shoulder 
and gives one frigid shake. 

"The Methodist" gives the old-time pressure 
that makes the tears start with its force as well as its 
fervor, and the " Epworth grip" is a handclasp of 
hearty comradeship. 

Of course, most of the slips of paper have the two 
latter handshakes, the "Methodist" and the 
" Epworth " written upon them, but a few of the 
others should be given to those who will enter into 
the spirit of the thing, and thus will add that " little 
nonsense " which we all sometimes relish. Refresh- 
ments may well follow the exercise this handshaking 
affords, and with such a social no one will catch 
the " visiting chapter chill." 



43 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



A WESLEY TEA. 

Some of us have had the privilege of seeing the 
quaint old-fashioned teapot from which the pious 
and beautiful Grace Murray poured the tea for Mr, 
Wesley and his assistants ; unless, as often hap- 
pened at those very early breakfasts, Mr. Wesley 
himself poured the tea, and reverently offered the 
grace before and after meat. 

The words on the teapot are a translation of a 
form of blessing used in hundreds of German homes 
to this day, and may have been learned by Mr. 
Wesley from his Moravian friends. It is as follows : 

Be present at our table, Lord, 
Be here and everywhere adored ; 
These creatures bless, and grant that we 
May feast in paradise with thee." 

My idea for the Wesley tea is to provide as many 
cards cut in the shape of this teapot, and containing 
the printed verse, as there are to be guests at the 
tea party. 

On the blank side of each card write some saying 
of John Wesley, or a line of one of Charles Wesley's 
hymns, or a quotation from Samuel or Susannah 
Wesley. 

These teapot cards are to be laid by each plate, 
and when all is ready the whole company read 
together the verse of grace written on the teapot. 

At the conclusion of the meal each reads the 
quotation on the other side of the card and tells by 
which member of the Wesley family it was written. 
If this is given incorrectly, anyone at the table 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



43 



giving the right name claims the card. After all 
have been read and the author guessed, the one 
having the largest number of teapots is declared the 
best Wesley scholar. There should be enough cards 
in reserve to furnish one at least for each guest to 
retain as a souvenir of the occasion. 

These teapot cards can be obtained by writing to 
Mr. Charles R. Magee, of the Methodist Book Room, 
Boston, Mass. 

Pictures of members of the Wesley family, of 
City Road Chapel, of the Epworth rectory and other 
points of interest may be used in decoration, and 
Wesley hymns may be recited and sung. 

PREFERENCE SOCIAL. 

Hectographed lists of questions should be pre- 
viously prepared on sheets of paper large enough to 
leave room for the answers to be written. 

Time should be given for all to fill out the answers 
to the various questions, and each should be re- 
quested to write his name at the head of the list. 
After all are written they should be collected and 
examined in a separate room by a committee ap- 
pointed for that purpose. 

The occupation, color, flower, gem, poet, painter, 
etc., receiving the largest number of votes should 
be written down, and the entire list revised accord- 
ing to the preference of the majority, should be 
read at the conclusion of the exercise. Other pref- 
erences may be substituted for these if desired. 

QUESTIONS. 

What do you consider the greatest virtue? 
Of what vice have you the greatest horror? 



44 FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



What accomplishment do you prefer? 

Who in English history is your favorite hero? 

Who is the greatest American hero? 

What is the noblest deed ever performed? 

What is your favorite color? 

Which is your favorite flower? 

Which gem is most beautiful? 

Do you prefer blondes or brunettes? 

Which month do you prefer? 

What gift would you choose? 

What poet do you prefer? 

In fiction which is your favorite book? 

What employment would you choose? 

What position in life would you prefer? 

Who is the man most highly honored in the world ? 

What woman received the highest honor? 

Which is your favorite verse of Scripture? 

If you were not yourself, who would you be? 

What is your favorite song? 

HIDDEN AUTHORS. 

Somebody says, "We have had so much about 
authors there cannot be anything new.'* 

This exercise, however, taken from The Delineator 
of October, 1895, has not been in use long enough 
to be worn out. Each sentence describes the name 
of an author. 

As the list of questions is so long they may be 
asked and answered, instead of written, if preferred. 

1. What a rude man said to his son 

when he wished him to eat properly . (Chaucer). 

2. A lion's house dug in the side of a 

hill where there is no water .... (Dryden). 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 45 

3. Many pilgrims have knelt to him . (Pope). 

4. Makes men's garments to order . (Taylor). 

5. Represents the dwellings of 

civilized men (Holmes). 

6. Is a kind of linen of which 

curtains are made (Holland). 

7. A woman's head covering in 

cold weather (Hood). 

8. A name that means such fiery things, 

I can't describe their pains and stings (Burns). 

9. The head of the monastery . . . (Abbott). 

10. Suggesting one of the points 

of compass (Southey). 

11 . Is what an oyster heap is like to be (Shelley). 

12. Is a chain of hills containing a 

black treasure (Coleridge). 

13. An American manufacturing town (Lowell). 

1 4. The value of a word . . . (Wordsworth), 

15. A tall man whose name begins 

with fifty (Longfellow). 

1 6. A poet brighter than others . . (Whittier), 

17. A worker in precious metals . (Goldsmith). 

18. A portion of pig (Bacon). 

19. A disagreeable fellow to have 

on your foot (Bunyan). 

20. A sick place of worship . . . (Churchill). 

21. A manufacturing metal .... (Steele). 

22. What the meat in the oven 

is doing (Browning). 

23. To agitate a weapon . . . (Shakespeare). 

24. A young domestic animal . . . (Lamb). 



25. Each living head in time, 'tis said. 

Will turn to him, though he be dead (Gray). 

4 



46 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS, 



26. Very rapid movement .... (Swift;. 

27. A severe man (Sterne). 

28. A merry hearted man (Gay). 

29. A railway carriage, and a 

kind of thread (Carlyle). 

30. A domestic animal, and what 

she cannot do . ....... (Cowper). 

31. A plant growing in wet places . . (Reade). 

32. A slang expression .... (Dickens). 

33. A fraction in currency and 

a great weight . (Mihon). 

34. Something we should never say . (Kant). 



35. His middle name suggests the 

end of a quarrel . (William Makepeace Thackeray). 

36. A prefix and a throat disease . De Quincey). 



37. A man of rugged health .... (Hale). 

38. Rejoicing and a hard substance (Gladstone). 

39. A number, a pronoun, and a 

near relative. (Tennyson). 



40. Put an edible grain between an ant and a bee, 
And a much loved poet you will see (Bryant). 

After all these hidden authors are guessed, the 
company may be called upon to give in turn 
one or more of the works of each author, and thus 
a very pleasant literary evening may be enjoyed. 

THE GAME OF EVASION. 

It is said that no matter what question you may 
ask an Irishman, you cannot surprise him into an 
answer of " Yes " or *' No." 

If you say, "It is a fine morning, Pat," he will 
respond, ** Indeed it is that, sir." If you say, " Are 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



47 



your children well?" he will answer, **That they 
are," and so on indefinitely. 

This game of evasion might be called the Irish- 
man's answer, for in it "Yes" or " No " must be 
carefully avoided. 

The leader of the game begins by asking, "Are 
you fond of music. Miss Smith?" "Nothing else 
pleases me better," answers the wary Miss Smith. 
" Are you fond of onions, Mr. Brown ? " the leader 
continues. "There are vegetables I like better," Mr, 
Brown responds. 

" Have you had a cold this winter, Miss Harper? '* 
the leader asks. 

"I have fortunately escaped colds thus far this 
winter," Miss Harper replies. 

"Are you a 'new woman,' Mrs. Sharp?" the 
leader hazards. " No, but I'm just as good as new," 
says the indignant Mrs. Sharp, and she must in 
turn become questioner, as she has broken the rule 
and answered with "No." 

This is a very amusing game when well played by a 
party of young people who are well acquainted 
with each other, but care should be taken that no 
embarrassing questions should be asked, especially 
of those sensitive persons who are found in every 
community. 

That young person is a real boon at any social 
affair who is willing to become " a fool for Christ's 
sake," as Paul was. 

A MUSICAL SOCIAL. 

This is a home social, as the church piano is 
generally a long-suffering instrument, that "is not 



48 FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



tuned to concord of sweet sounds." But the piano 
is by no means the only musical instrument used at 
a musical social. The rule is that every person 
who attends must contribute a musical number to 
the program, or pay a fine of five cents. 

Guitar, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, jew's-harp, 
flageolet, trombone, violin, phono and autoharp, and 
even the tissue paper covered comb can all be 
pressed into the service, and as no one should be 
allowed an encore, and all should be requested to 
play short selections, there will be time for a large 
number in an evening. 

Of course, a song or a whistled solo will count, as 
the most wonderful musical organ in the world is in 
the human throat. 

If two or more persons who never sing can be 
persuaded to attempt some simple tune like "Tell 
Aunt Rhoda, " it will add spice to the program.. 
There should be no attempt at unity in this program; 
it should rather be a medley of music, but if it is de- 
sired to make it more dignified, papers on music 
may be read, busts and pictures of famous musicians 
may be arranged about the room, and classical 
music may be rendered. 

If a number of pictures of famous composers and 
singers can be obtained, they may be passed around 
the room and guessed, as in the Recognition Social. 

To make a merry evening for the Juniors, have 
each one choose what musical instrument he will 
represent, and then weave a little story, bringing in 
these various musical instruments, and when each 
one is named, the Junior representing that one will 
make the appropriate sound in imitation, 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 49 



For instance, the leader says, "One naorning in 
spring I went into the city, and at the very first 
corner, I found a hand-organ man busily playing 
'Sweet Marie.' [The Junior representing the hand 
organ begins to hum the song and continues, in 
imitation of the hand organ, until another instrument 
is named.] I walked a little farther, and a crowd 
of small boys were pushing each other in their 
efforts to see. a man who was playing a bagpipe, a 
triangle, and a string of bells at the same time. 
[Three Juniors make imitative sounds together, and 
continue until the next instrument is mentioned.] In 
front of a place of amusement a man was playing a 
drum [Junior says, * Rub-a-dub-dub,' until relieved 
by next player mentioned], and a little farther up the 
street a little German band was playing ' The Last 
Rose of Summer.' " [A number imitate the various 
instruments, one carrying the tune in imitation of a 
cornet.] 

Children have the faculty of imitation, and dearly 
love to make believe," and you will not be able to 
finish your story without plenty of interruptions in 
the way of laughter, by the performers themselves 
and those who listen to them. 

FESTIVAL OF LANTERNS. 

This is a very beautiful and picturesque entertain- 
ment, and is specially serviceable when it is desired 
to raise a sum of money for some purpose. 

I can do no better than to give a description of a 
very successful lantern festival recently held in 
Clinton, Mass. 

" The hall was elaborately decorated with Japa- 



50 FIJ'TY SOCIAL EVENINGS, 



nese and Chinese lanterns, festoons of lanterns 
radiating from a center piece of red bunting to the 
sides of the hall and the balcony front. 

- Lanterns were the chief decoration of the various 
booths, and everywhere the eye rested a string of 
lanterns was observed. 

"Two Japanese young ladies dispensed tea beneath 
the shade of a huge umbrella. They wore pretty 
Japanese gowns." 

The writer goes on to tell of the various booths, 
the supper, and the lantern drill. 

Instead of Rebekah at the well, it would be in 
keeping to have Diogenes at his tub — of lemonade — 
and with his lantern of **ye olden time," with which 
to search, in the intervals of trade, for an honest 
man. 

During the drill the gas is lowered and the effect 
is very pretty. The young ladies taking part in the 
drill should be dressed in white, with red scarfs 
over their shoulders. Each should carry a red and 
white striped lantern, unlighted, and the lanterns can 
be used with very pretty effect in the various evolu- 
tions of the drill. The general color scheme may 
be that of the Epworth League, red and white. 

Where there is a river or lake this lantern festival 
may be held on the water with beautiful effect. 

A barge or float is built to hold the village band of 
music. A small steamer chartered to carry those 
timid souls who are afraid of a small boat, and here 
and there, through the soft air of the summer night, 
rowboats are flitting like fireflies, each bearing its 
freight of happy young people. 

Strings of lighted lanterns are seen everywhere, 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



51 



but a moonlight night is best for such a carnival, 
when everything shines out with the brightness of 
the day and the witchery of the night. In some 
places such a festival as this is of yearly occurrence, 
but there are many others where it would be 
welcomed with delight. 

COLONIAL DAMES' RECEPTION. 

There must have been a larger army of Revolu- 
tionary heroes than history records, for the women 
who can claim an ancestor who took an active part 
in the war of the Revolution are legion, and various 
organizations of '* Daughters of the Revolution," 

Colonial Dames," etc., are springing up and 
flourishing. 

We will not limit our number to these, however ; 
but each lady who wears an old-time costume will 
take part in the reception. 

The gentlemen will make themselves useful as 
ushers, and, of course, will wear the very becoming 
continental costume. 

The dames must learn to "curtesy" as our 
grandmothers did, and the old-time snuff-box and 
smelling salts will be in evidence. 

An exhibit of old china, silver, miniatures, fans, 
snuff-boxes, and other relics of all kinds may be 
given in a separate room, and a small admission fee 
charged if desired. 

Tea may be served, with brown bread, buttered, 
and seed-cakes ; or a regular old-fashioned boiled 
dinner, with baked Indian pudding, twisted dough- 
nuts, and cheese, and pumpkin pie, will be relished. 

Qld china dishes, pewter platters, and candles for 



53 FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



light, make the table look as it did in early colonial 
days. 

Patriotic songs, recitations, and stories or tableaux, 
will be in keeping, and will help us to realize the 
debt we owe to our Revolutionary patriots and 
heroes. 

A HUMORIST SOCIAL. 
The would-be-funny man is in our midst, and 
nothing will delight him more than a social of this 
kind. 

Each person should be invited to bring a joke or 
bright saying, either original or selected, to con- 
tribute to the general fun. 

Some kind of refreshments should be served as 
an excuse for sitting around the table, for even the 
inimitable after-dinner speaker of New York cannot 
do his best, it is said, without a table before him. 

After the refreshments a toastmaster may call 
upon each, and the jokes, conundrums, and amusing 
stories are told informally, and without rising from 
the table. Care should be taken to avoid old and 
hackneyed jokes, and, above all, shun as you would 
a pestilence a joke, or story with an unclean or 
double meaning. 

Following this, volunteers should be called to 
enter a contest in answering twenty questions with 
nonsense answers. 

Each of these volunteers should be furnished with 
a written list of the questions, and a certain amount 
of time should be given in which to write the 
answers. When all are written, each writes his 
name on his list and hands it to the toastmaster, who 
appoints a committee to examine the lists and 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



53 



decide which is answered with most wit. This list 
of questions and answers is then read to the 
company, and the successful humorist receives 
some little gift or decoration. 

The following is a list of questions and answers to 
illustrate my meaning : 

1. Do fishes sing? Yes, in the frying pan. 

2. What animal is deaf? One that has no 

(h) ear. 

3. When did one chase a thousand? A woman 

in fly time. 

4. How long is an elephant supposed to live? 

Till he dies. 

5. What is the origin of the phrase, *'To catch 

a Tartar? " A cook book. 

6. What is the most useful tree in the world? 

The birch. 

7. What rat kept its head above the flood ? 

Ararat. 

8. How do grasshoppers breathe? Through 

their noses. 

9. Who was Mary who had a little lamb? 

The girl who ate mutton for breakfast. 
10. Why is a man a cannibal who likes corn- 
bread for breakfast? Because he eats a 
little Indian. 

1 1 . What animal is said to never perspire? A 
Boston girl. 

12. What is the origin of casting a shoe after 

a bride? To provide her with a weapon 
of correction for the coming generation. 

13. How many people did the Mayflower bring 

over? The whole school in arbutus time. 



54 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



14. Where is a river of natural ink? Down in 

mud hollow. 

15. How is that river accounted for? The mud 

hollow boys go in swimming there. 

16. Why did Queen Victoria accept the title of 

Empress of India? Because she wanted 
the earth. 

17. What is dew? Something performed. 

18. How many languages are there? As many 

as there are babies. 

19. What reptile ought to be proficient in arith- 

metic? The adder. 

20. From which side of a whale do whalebones 

come? The inside. 
Other questions may be substituted for these, the 
idea being to give a humorous answer to grave 
questions. 

DELSARTE SOCIAL. 

A very graceful dumb-bell drill given by eight 
young ladies, recently, suggested this social to me. 

The young ladies wore gymnasium suits of white, 
with short skirts and blouse waists. 

They assumed a great many beautiful and natural 
poses, all the time keeping in perfect accord with 
the music which accompanied them. 

At such a social the Delsarte principles should be 
explained, and people should realize that there is 
something in it of real interest and help to them. 

If one tired nervous woman learns that perfect 
relaxation is rest, it will be a lesson well worth 
learning. 

I knew a Boston clergyman who told me that he 
always comes out of a symphony concert, a lecture 



FIFTY Social EVENINGS. 55 



room, or a church dead tired, because he uncon- 
sciously keeps up a physical tension through it all. 

What is called Greek posing " is very beautiful 
and suggestive if skillfully done. 

The various emotions of love, hate, anger, greed, 
mirth, grief, etc., are expressed by appropriate 
attitudes and gestures. 

A pupil, or better still a teacher, in a school of 
expression or physical culture, can drill a company 
of young people to give an entertainment which 
shall be a means of healthful and delightful exercise 
to themselves, and a picture of beauty and grace to 
the beholders. 

This may be called a Gymnasium Social if the 
title is liked better. 

A GAME SOCIAL. 

At a home Epworth League social which I attended 
not long ago the hostess made one little mistake. 
She had lighted her rooms beautifully, she had 
ready to serve in her dining room the most delicious 
chocolate and cake, and she welcomed the young 
people with a cordiality that made every one feel 
happy and at home. 

But in her zeal to provide entertainment she had 
placed on the library table a number of games to 
amuse the younger boys who might be too shy to 
engage in the exercises in the larger rooms. 

But, alas ! the big boys spied the cozy retreat, and 
the games held them spell-bound almost the entire 
evening, while the young ladies had the music room 
and parlors almost to themselves. 

6ut a social where simple and innocent games 



56 FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



have the right of way may be made very enjoy- 
able. 

Everyone should be invited to bring at least one 
game, then there will be enough for all. 

Parlor croquet, halma, parchesi, tiddledewinks, 
checkers, dominoes, and the various puzzles, like 
Pike's peak, pigs in clover, etc., are all games easy 
to play, and generally enjoyed by young people. 
Well-lighted tables surrounded by chairs should be 
provided, and if one or two persons have charge of 
each table, to invite timid ones to engage in the 
games, and to supply the tact which prevents 
friction in our social as well as our domestic life, it 
will be an advantage. 

Popcorn, candy, nuts, or fruit, may be provided 
for each table, and a thoroughly enjoyable evening 
will be the result. 

HOMEMADE CANDY. 

The last tooth to be pulled is the sweet tooth, and 
a candy pull never goes out of fashion. 

This should be a home social, where there is a big 
kitchen in which to make and to eat the candy. 

In making molasses candy be sure you put it in 
charge of some one who knows how to make the 
pale gold, brittle kind, which alone can be eaten 
with any comfort. But if, spite all effort, the candy 
remains sticky, I will tell you of an expedient by 
which defeat was once changed to victory. 

A large quantity of molasses had been boiled, and 
a liberal amount of butter added, two grave mistakes, 
as small quantities always produce better results. 

The peanuts were shelled and ready to add to the 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



57 



mixture, and yet it provokingly refused to become 
crisp and brittle. 

But there was too much of it, and it tasted too 
good to waste, so the whole was poured into 
buttered pans to cool, and deft fingers soon formed 
it into peanut taffy balls, which were served daintily 
on wooden toothpicks. 

A variety of delicious candy is made by first 
making what French confectioners call a fondant, 
and adding to it various nuts and fruits. 

This fo7idant or cream is made by using the 
white of eggs, water, and confectioner's sugar, 
mixing it to a smooth white paste, and flavoring 
with fruit juices or extracts. 

By adding blood orange juice you can make it 
pink, the yelks of eggs will make it yellow, and 
chocolate will give it a cafe an lait shade. 

To make date candy remove the stones from the 
dates, by cutting each date in halves, and fill the 
center with the cream, afterward rolling each date in 
granulated or powdered sugar. English walnuts are 
treated the same way. except that they are not rolled 
in sugar. 

Chocolate creams are made by melting sweetened 
chocolate and rolling small balls of the cream in it. 

If the candy makers are provided with white 
aprons and paper caps it will make them look more 
professional. 

A good use to make of what candy is left is to 
place it in fancy boxes, which can be procured at 
any confectioner's, and send these boxes of sweets to 
an old ladies' home, or a poor children's home. 

If a,n old ladiQs' home is tQ be remembered in this 



58 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



sweet way, do not forget to make and include an 
abundant supply of fresh peppermints. 

AN EVENING WITH EUGENE FIELD. 

We have had evenings with Whittier, Longfellow, 
Lowell, Holmes, and others ; but an evening with the 
poet of childhood is something new. 

Eugene Field's poems are full of pictures, and lend 
themselves readily to illustration. 

In McClure's Magazine for January, 1896, a 
number of his most popular poems may be found, 
accompanied by illustrations of the children who 
inspired them. 

With Trumpet and Drum " may be read by a 
good reader, and while it is being read a number of 
children should march to the platform, keeping time 
to a drum corps of boys who march in front. 

They "circle and file" and go through a few 
simple marching movements, and then pass out. 

"The Ballad of the Waller Lot," in the same 
magazine, will be very amusing if read and illustrated. 

"Sissy Knott," "The Injuns," and the gallant 
rescuers can be found in almost any community. 

" The Rock-a-by Lady," with poppies that hang 
from her head to her feet, comes softly in with a 
little child in her arms, and she sits in a low rocker 
and gently rocks the child as she repeats the tender 
lullaby song. 

" Seein' Things" and " Little Boy Blue" should 
be spoken by boys, and, indeed, the whole program 
may be given by the Juniors with some assistance 
from the older ones. " God's Acre " can be se- 
cured in sheet music, and is a very be?,utiful song. 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



59 



All these selections may be found in Eugene 
Field's published poems. 

AN "EPWORTH HERALD" SOCIAL 

This is like what is called a " Magazine Social," 
where all the articles, poems, editorials, and adver- 
tisements of a current magazine are given in 
appropriate order. 

In this representation of our young people's pa- 
per all of the matter given should be original, and it 
should be arranged in the same order as it is in the 
Ep worth He 7' a Id. 

Some solid article should come first, as, for 
instance, a paper on the Amertcan University at 
Washington, illustrated with pictures of proposed 
buildings, if such can be obtained. 

Two or three short papers on education or League 
topics may follow. 

Then some one reads a chapter of a serial story, 
leaving off in the most interesting place, as is the 
way of such stories. In the department of " Crumbs 
Swept Up " may be grouped anecdotes, incidents, 
and jokes. 

The "Devotional Meeting and Sunday School" 
should not be forgotten, and the topics for the 
following Sunday should be used. 

Then comes a few, bright, crisp editorials, and a 
column of Jots and Dots," to produce which will 
demand a careful study of the style of our versatile 
Ep worth Herald editor. 

" How to Make the Wheel Go " gives our young 
people an opportunity to discuss methods and topics 
of practical interest in the work of the League. 



60 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



The Junior story and poem must not be forgotten, 
and the " Secretary's Corner " must not be crowded 
out. 

A few choice advertisements, which may be local 
if desired, fill up the paper. 

A good way to close such a social is by securing 
new subscribers to the Epworth Herald. 

MISSIONARY SOCIAL. 

Twenty-five or more numbered questions relating 
to missions and missionary workers of our Church 
should be written on the blackboard, and numbered 
cards to correspond are given to all present. 

Fifteen minutes may be allowed in which to 
write answers to these questions, and, at the end of 
that time, those who have not been able to answer 
all the questions should go to the missionary secre- 
tary's table and obtain the desired information. 

A mite-box may be provided, into which each one 
drops a penny for every question which he is unable 
to answer. 

The following is a list of questions to suggest 
others, rather than to be used as it stands : 

1. Who was our first missionary to India? 

2. Where is the Anglo-American College? 

3. In what cities of Japan have we mission work? 

4. When was the Woman's Foreign Missionary 

Society organized? 

5. What two ladies were first sent out? 

6. Who wrote The Land of the Veda? " 

7. Who is the Bishop for India and Malaysia? 

8. Who is the Bishop for Africa? 

9. What niissipn work have we in Korea? 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



61 



10. Who is our pioneer missionary worker in 

Mexico? 

11. Among what classes of people does the 

Woman's Home Missionary Society work? 

12. Give the names of our Missionary Secretaries? 

13. Who is the President of the W. F. M. S. ? 

14. Who is the President of the W. H. M. S. ? 

15. What lady missionary escaped in the Ku- 

cheng massacre? 

16. What is the most distant field of the Woman's 

Home Missionary Society? 

17. In what cities of China have we missionary 

work? 

18. What famous mountain is in Japan? 

19. Who is Mary Reed? 

20. In what country have Dr. and Mrs. Parker 

labored? 

CONFERENCE SOCIAL. 

Bishop FitzGerald said in an address at a meeting 
of the New England Conference League that no 
more profitable study could be found than that in 
our Discipline relating to the various kinds of Con- 
ferences in our Church. 

A very helpful and instructive program may be 
arranged in which the work of the various Con- 
ferences shall be explained, and in a measure 
exemplified. 

We will have to consider the General Conference, 
the Lay Electoral Conference, the Annual Confer- 
ence, and the Missionary, District, and Quarterly 
Conferences. 

The subject of this program should be announced 
5 



G2 FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



a month in advance, that our Epworthians may 
have time to study that sometimes neglected book, 
the Methodist DiscipUne, and thus prepare them- 
selves to enter intelligently into the subject. 

Short papers descriptive of these various Con- 
ferences should be read by those who are likely to be 
best informed by personal observation. The pastor, 
if invited, will be willing to speak on the Annual 
Conference, and the presiding elder or some delegate 
to the General Conference will not refuse to give an 
account of the deliberations of that body. 

Questions may be written on the blackboard, as in 
the missionary program, and to vary the exercises 
these questions may be asked at the close of the 
program, and answered by the Epworthians in 
concert. 

Names of living bishops, secretaries, and editors 
of our Church papers should be included in the 
questions, and if some study has been previously 
given to this subject this will be by no means a dry 
or unprofitable evening. 

CHURCH HISTORY SOCIAL. 

This may well come on some Church anniversary, 
but is appropriate at any time, and may be made 
simple or elaborate as circumstances require. 

This is a good opportunity to invite the whole 
church as guests of the League, and to have a 
general rejoicing together. 

The older members, who helped to lay the foun- 
dations of the church, should be invited to speak, 
the mothers in Israel and the older class leaders 
and stewards. 



FIB^TY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



63 



A list of all the ministers who have served the 
church should be read, and photographs of each 
secured, or, better still, they should be invited to be 
present as guests. 

Pictures of the old church or of the present 
edifice should be on sale ; neat folders with the 
picture of the church on one side, and of the pres- 
ent pastor on the other, can be secured at small 
expense. 

The older people, those who have reached their 
''threescore years and ten," should have the 
honor of a safe conveyance in carriages provided 
by the League, and the music on such an occasion 
should be the good old hymns of the Church. " How 
firm a foundation," " I love thy kingdom, Lord," 
" Blest be the tie that binds," and a score 
of others are appropriate. 

A roll call of all the members of the church by 
the pastor is a delightful feature of such an evening 
in some places, and a free church supper is a 
pleasant and social beginning of such an even- 
ing. 

If such a social as this, including the membership 
of the whole church, were oftener held we should 
not hear, as we sometimes do, the complaint that the 
young people were clannish and exclusive. 

A BIBLE ALPHABET SOCIAL, 

The Juniors enjoy a social of their own occasion- 
ally where they can have something good to eat, 
some games, noisy or otherwise, to play, and an 
opportunity to sing and pray together. For Juniors 
see no incongruity in first praying and then playing, 



64 FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



and Froebel has shown us that children, even in 
their play, may be taught moral truth. 

For one feature of such a social, this Bible Alpha- 
bet drill will be found useful. The letters of the 
alphabet are to be written on the blackboard, one 
below the other in regular order, at the left-hand side 
of the blackboard. This leaves room for a long line 
of names to be written at the right of each letter. 

The leader now calls for volunteers to come for- 
ward and write down each a name of a person or 
place mentioned in the Bible, and beginning with A. 

Adam, Abraham, Aaron, Asa, Absalom, Andrew, 
Antioch, etc., are remembered by different ones and 
written down. 

Names beginning with B are now called for, and 
so on through all the letters of the alphabet. 

Those who have written down one name or a 
letter should not be allowed to write another until all 
who can think of a name have written ; then they 
may be permitted to write others. 

If any Junior cannot write, the leader may write 
the name for him ; but in these schooldays, when 
children are taught to write as soon as they are to 
read, a Junior who cannot write will hardly be 
found, and children love to do things for themselves, 
rather than to have them done for them. Besides, 
the noise and movement of going back and forth 
to the blackboard delights children's hearts, for they 
were never made to sit still a whole evening. 

BIBLE STORY AND SONG. 

The following program will make an interesting 
Junior League entertainment, or it may be used 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



65 



profitably as an exercise for a Sunday school 
concert. 

If it is given by a Junior League where the voices 
are not sufficently developed for singing four-part 
songs, other Bible story songs, like "She only 
touched the hem of his garment," or "Ye must be 
born again," may be substituted for numbers 3 and 
8 of the program. 

PROGRAM. 

1. Song, "My Mother's Bible," No. 84 in The 
Finest of the Wheat, No. 2. To be sung as solo or 
duet. 

2. Recitation, " The Burial of Moses," by Mrs. 
Alexander. This selection can be found by asking 
at a public library for a volume of miscellaneous 
poetry containing it, or in an old-fashioned reading 
book. 

3. Quartet, "The Handwriting on the Wall," 
Gospel Hymns, No. 5, No. 114. 

4. Recitation, "The Chamber over the Gate." 
To be found in any collection of Longfellow's 
poems. 

5. Chorus, " While shepherds watched their flocks 
by night," Methodist Hymnal. 

6. Solo. "0 little town of Bethlehem." This 
tender little hymn by Phillips Brooks can be se- 
cured in church sheet music of any good music 
dealer. 

7. Recitation, " The sifting of Peter," Longfellow. 

8. Chorus, "There is a green hill far away," 
No. 273, Gospel Hymens Combined. 

9. Quartet, " Christ arose," Gospel Hymns, No. 
5, No. 57. 



66 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



10. Song, ''The city of gold," No. 136, in The 
Finest of the Wheat, No. 2. 

As will be seen, this program begins in the Old 
Testanaent and follows the Bible story down the 
ages, ending in the glories revealed in Revelation, 
where John saw in vision "the beautiful city of 
gold." 

JUMBLED CITIES. 

Each Junior should be furnished with sufficient 
letters to make the name of a city, when placed in 
proper order. To make it easier for children, it is 
well to have one letter a capital letter, or in larger 
print than the others, that they may know which is 
the first letter of the desired city. 

A short time may be allowed for the Juniors to 
fit the letters together and to find out what city the 
jumbled letters make. Then the fun begins as 
each one is asked to locate the city and tell some- 
thing about it. 

If anyone is unable to tell where his city can be 
found, or to tell any fact about it, another who can 
tell takes the city away and adds it to the number 
he has gained in that way. 

This bloodless way of taking cities is sure to 
interest the Juniors, and if the letters making the 
name of each city are contained in small envelopes 
they will not be likely to get lost or mixed with 
others. 

These cities may all be those found in the Bible, 
and, used in that way, this exercise is extremely 
interesting and profitable to be used in connection 
with a regular Junior League devotional meeting. 

But if cities of the Old World and the New are 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



67 



chosen, we shall find our bright Juniors equal to the 
task of locating and describing many of them. 
Strasburg, Cologne, Paris, Berlin, Constantinople, 
Rome, Athens, London, New York, Philadelphia, 
Washington, Chicago, Boston, and other cities 
should be chosen, such as have connected with 
them associations of special interest. 

KINDERGARTEN SOCIAL. 

In many of our larger Junior Leagues, where 
there are two or more divisions or grades, the little 
children of the primary department are apt to feel 
that they are left out in Junior socials and enter- 
tainments. 

This entertainment will give them an opportunity 
to be heard, and even little children of the present 
day are not content to be " seen and not heard." 

The platform is to be arranged like a nursery, with 
small chairs, toys, and dolls, and the children, even 
if they are seven or eight years old, look prettiest in 
white dresses and baby bonnets. 

One feature of the entertainment is a bread and 
milk drill. A number of the children sit in high 
chairs at a table, facing the audience, and each one 
is provided with a mug and teaspoon. 

A simple march is played on the piano, and the 
children keep time with the spoons, making the 
motions of eating. 

Any collection of kindergarten songs will furnish 
a number of pretty ones. One representing a 
cooper where the children make a barrel, head it 
up, and roll it off the platform is very pretty, as the 
barrel is made of roly-poly boys and girls. Other 



68 FIFTY SOCIAL EVENING^. 



trades are represented in these motion songs, and 
the children delight to sing them. One feature of 
the program which I have in mind was the story of 
"Little Red Riding Hood," told by a six-year-old 
girl in her own language. 

Recitations about dollies may be given by little 
girls holding the dolls in their arms, and the boy 
who speaks about his drum may carry it and drum 
upon it as he goes out. 

This kindergarten entertainment may close with 
a topsy-turvy chorus. A low screen is placed 
across the front of the platform, and the children 
stand behind it with only their heads showing 
above it. 

They sing the merry little song to be found in 
most collections of college songs, " Rig-a-jig-jig, 
and away we go." 

As they reach the last chorus, each child ducks 
his head, and throws up his hands, on which have 
been fitted a pair of shoes and stockings. The 
hands are waved back and forth in time to the 
music, and the effect is very comical and puzzling 
at first ; for how can the children keep on singing if 
they are standing on their heads and waving their 
feet wildly in the air ? No one will go to sleep, not 
even the babies, at such an entertainment as this. 

SHAKINO QUAKERS. 

This, too, is a motion song, and a very pretty one. 
It was written by Frank L. Bristow, as published by 
Ditson, and can be procured for thirty cents through 
any music dealer. Eight little girls, wearing quaint 
little caps, which can be made of drab wrapping 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 69 



paper, with snowy kerchiefs, and plain long white 
aprons come in, and bob, and bow, and point, and 
shake, while they sing. There is one boy, with 
drab suit and broad-brimmed hat, and a singing 
dialogue between him and his " sister shaking quak- 
ers " is briskly carried on. 

Pictures of the children on the outside of the 
sheet music will be found helpful in arranging them 
and preparing the quaker bonnets. 

LITTLE LIGHT- BEARERS' RECEPTION. 

In many of our Junior Leagues we have mission 
bands, and a very pretty entertainment for them to 
give is a reception to * ' the little light-bearers. ' ' These, 
as most people know, are the babies under five 
years old, who are the youngest members of the 
Woman's Foreign Missionary Society. 

As many children as possible are secured, and 
it is well to have this reception in the afternoon, as 
the babies are apt to be better natured. 

Mrs. Lucie F. Harrison, 21 Lagrange Street, 
Worcester, Mass., will be pleased to send, on appli- 
cation, full directions for the management of such 
a reception, with songs and exercises, and with en- 
rollment cards, membership stars, etc. Wherever 
such a reception has been held it has proved an un- 
qualified success. 

PRESTON PAPERS" QUOTATIONS. 

The author of the ** Preston Papers," in a recent 
number of "The Classmate," asks young Ameri- 
cans to state the name of the author of each of a 
number of quotations of famous sayings of noted 



70 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



men, and to state the occasion of each famous 
sentence : 

QUOTATIONS. 

** I am prepared to fight it out on this line if it 
takes all summer." 

" Millions for defense, but not one cent for trib- 
ute." 

" A government of the people, by the people, and 
for the people." 

" To the victors belong the spoils." 

" First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts 
of his countrymen." 

God reigns, and the government at Washington 
still lives." 

I regret only that I have but one life to give for 
my country." 

" Don't give up the^ip." 

" If anyone attempts to haul down the American 
flag, shoot him on the spot." 

"Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, I 
give my hand and heart to this vote." 

*' I had rather be right than be President." 

*' Liberty and union, now and forever, one and 
inseparable." 

"Let us cross over the river and rest under the 
shade of the trees." 

" This is the last of earth, I am content." 

"Thomas Jefferson still survives." 

" Give me liberty or give me death." 

" Our Federal Union, it must be preserved." 

These quotations are familiar to every schoolboy, 
but it is not as easy as one might imagine to remem- 
ber the authors. 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



71 



MENAGERIE SOCIAL. 

The Junior superintendent, or some adult per- 
son who takes charge of the games at this social, 
will allow each Junior to choose what beast or 
bird he will represent. One should be chosen whose 
cry or call can be imitated, as the barking of a 
dog, the mooing of a cow, the mewing of a cat, the 
crowing of a rooster, or the quacking of a duck. 

The Juniors should all be seated in a circle 
around the leader, and ready to listen to a story 
about animals and birds. 

The leader of the game begins to tell a story, 
bringing in the names of all the birds and animals 
represented by the Juniors, and, at each reference of 
this kind, the one representing the bird or animal 
mentioned gives the appropriate sound. 

For instance, the story-teller begins : " This morn- 
ing I saw a dog [bow-wow-wow] chasing a cat 
[mew-mew], and an old owl [tu-whit-tu-whoo] sat in a 
tree watching them both. Pretty soon the cat 
[mew-mew] ran up the tree, and the old owl [tu-whit- 
tu-whoo] flew away." The Juniors are sure to en- 
joy this rather noisy game. 

After the story is finished another form of menage- 
rie can be played. The Juniors stand in a circle and 
the leader whispers to each one, supposably giving 
to each the name of the animal he is to imitate. In- 
stead, she tells all to keep silent except one, v/ho is to 
crow lustily. She then counts, "One, two, three," 
and the rooster crows, while all the dumb animals 
laugh at him. Another way is to allow each one to 
ask for a certain animal, and then lead him up to a 



7^ FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



mirror and show him himself. The resuU is certain 
to be a laugh. 

A MOTHER GOOSE SOCIAL. 

Any amount of fun is sure to result from this 
social if the leader is willing to give a little time to 
previous preparation. 

Each Junior is given some character in Mother 
Goose's rhymes and is told how to carry it. For 
instance, the one who has charge of the games 
goes with a Junior into another room and says, " You 
must be ' little Miss Muffett ; ' you must go in and 
sit on a little stool, and ' make believe ' eat curds 
and whey. Pretty soon you must jump up and run, 
because the black spider has ' frightened Miss 
Muffett away.' " 

The child then goes through the motions, and the 
Juniors guess who is represented. " Simple Simon," 
with his hair pulled over his forehead, goes in and 
" makes believe " fish in his mother's waterpail. 
"Little Boy Blue" comes in with his trumpet. 
" Jacky Horner" pulls out a plum. The little 
girl with the curl on her forehead shows how she 
looks when she is "very good indeed," and when 
she is "horrid." 

So nearly every one of the rhymes can be acted 
out, and it will afford the Juniors a great deal of 
amusement and happy exercise. It is better to have 
them carried out in this impromptu way than to 
have the children dress and rehearse ; for each child, 
if she knew beforehand, would be apt to tell her 
most intimate friend which rhyme she was to repre- 
sent, and then there would be no need of guessing. 



FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 



73 



Of course, this social and the one preceding it are for 
the Juniors when entertained by themselves, without 
guests. 

OLD SHOE SOCIAL. 

Some one has discovered that old shoes are 
worth saving. 

Our Juniors delight in making collections of 
picture cards, postage stamps, and old coins ; why 
not begin a collection of old shoes ? 

First secure a barrel, then get up a Mercy and 
Help Old Shoe Social. Have some kind of a good 
time arranged, and let the admission fee be a pair of 
partly worn or new shoes, or twenty-five cents 
toward buying a new pair. Fill up the barrel and 
send it to some city missionary or local relief associ- 
ation, taking care to prepay the express charges. In 
almost every city of moderate size there is or ought to 
be some charitable organization which will distribute 
the shoes. 

Such a social might be called a Giving Social, 
and all sorts of provisions and clothing be brought 
and offered to fill a box or barrel for some good 
cause. Just ask your pastor where to send it, as he 
will know best. 

The shoes are repaired neatly and sold at very low 
rates, or given outright to those who are too poor 
to buy. So this new collecting fad will benefit 
three classes of persons : the boy and girl collectors ; 
the poor men who will be given employment in re- 
pairing the boots and shoes ; and the boys and girls, 
and men and women, who will no longer be obliged 
to go barefoot in the winter's cold. Tello d'Apery, 
a boy twelve years old, established the Barefoot 



74 FIFTY SOCIAL EVENINGS. 

Mission in New York (at 59 West Twenty-fourth 
Street), and other boys and girls should be glad to 
help him. 

PATRIOTIC SERVICE. 

Such a wave of patriotism has swept over the 
land in this end of the nineteenth century that our 
days when patriotic observances are demanded are 
constantly increasing. Flag Day and Bunker Hill 
Day, as well as Washington's Birthday and the 
Fourth of July, demand recognition. 

There is in our Junior Hymnal a song, March 
Along Together, ' ' which can be well adapted to use in 
a patriotic exercise. Twelve or more boys carrying 
flags march up the aisle, singing, " Keep to the 
right, boys, keep to the right." A flag drill may 
follow this song, in which both boys and girls take 
part. Patriotic songs, recitations, and tableaux can 
be arranged, and if the singing and reciting are 
spirited, it will not seem hackneyed. 

I will close with a recitation to be spoken by a 
Junior who holds a flag, and waves it at each 

Hurrah ! " 

THE FLAG ON THE SCHOOLHOUSE. 
Hurrah for our flag, the flag of the brave ! 
Gallant heroes have died that bannner to save ; 
From flagstaff and schoolhouse it floats far and wide, 
The emblem of freedom, of honor, and pride. 

Hurrah for our flag, the flag of the free ! 
Let it float from the crag, let it wave o'er the sea ; 
Let the light breeze unfold it, or fierce tempest rave, 
For the flag on the schoolhouse forever shall wave. 

Juniors together give three cheers for the flag. 



